


Breakfast at Silver Lake

by Nanyoky



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - 1940s, Alternate Universe - Actors, Alternate Universe - Hollywood, Emotional Baggage, F/M, Golden Age Hollywood, Light Angst, Mild Sexual Content, Period Typical Attitudes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:55:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24076333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nanyoky/pseuds/Nanyoky
Summary: Vex'ahlia Vessar is Taldorei Pictures' most celebrated star. She's also sneaking around with her current picture's cinematographer. The press hasn't caught wind yet, and she intends to keep it that way.
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s), Percival "Percy" Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III/Vex'ahlia, Vax'ildan & Vex'ahlia (Critical Role)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 73





	Breakfast at Silver Lake

**Author's Note:**

  * For [EssayOfThoughts](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EssayOfThoughts/gifts).



> This took me way longer than I ever planned because I haven't updated anything in over a year so I forgot how to edit and polish things. Apologies to anyone who thought I would come back to finish multi-chapters. I'm in Critical Role mode with no signs of getting out. Thanks to EssayofThoughts for inspiring this whole concept!  
> Get a film degree and you too can burn out and leave the industry after three years, then use your knowledge to write passably accurate fanfic aus!!!! I have a lot of feelings about the roles I gave everyone. Might have cried about Dorothy Artzner writing Kima and Allura into this.
> 
> How's my trans-atlantic 40s dialogue? Terrible? Good. It should be.

“Can I get a harsher light on her left side?”

A pause.

“ _Harsher_?”

“Trust me, Miss Vord.”

A measured sigh.

“As he says, Strongjaw.”

Vex stayed where she was but couldn’t keep her head from turning to watch Percy’s expression as the behemoth gaffer clattered his way up his ladder to swivel and tilt her key. He had such an intense expression while he was working. Brows drawn together, mouth in a perfectly straight line, jaw set, but not too tight. There was always that same piercing look, all the more arresting because of how detached it was. It was not entirely cold, like he was looking at an object, but almost completely unfamiliar. The same way he might look at any other actor or actress on the other side of his camera.

She loved to watch him work but being the subject of this stare was a different story. It wasn’t unpleasant, but baring. Baring in a different sense. Different than the close, heated, all-encompassing stare of other settings. This one left her alone, the subject rather than a participant. It felt more forward and inappropriate for the workplace than if he ran his hands over her body.

“Ah- could we have you looking back at your mark, Miss Vessar?”

Vex’s eyes snapped back to Scanlan’s—about four centimetres higher than normal in his lifts—as she tried to deny that her face was growing hot. As her head turned back to the intended angle, there was a soft hum of agreement from those in the crew.

“Excellent call, Mr. De Rolo.”

“But she’s all in shadow now.” Scanlan frowned and shaded his eyes to see Kima and address the director. “This is the romantic climax- not one of her Maltese Falcon moments.”

“But this is still her moment-“ Percy gestured, still with his firm work expression, between the two of them. “She’s played the charmer at his own game and made him fall for her instead of her innocent sister. Even though she’s fallen in love too, she still gets to gloat a bit and the tone reflects how sly and a little vain about it she is.”

Kima nodded and shot a glance back at Allura, where she was perched with her script notes further back from set. The writer nodded as well, and Scanlan shrugged.

“Well, what do I know? This does highlight your cheekbones quite well.”

“Thank you, darling.” Vex fluttered her lashes and slapped his cheek. “Are we ready? How do we look?”

“Ah- let’s be safe. Zhara?”

Everyone held as makeup flew in to powder their faces. Taking the opportunity, Gilmore was there as well, rearranging the neckline of her gown.

“That De Rolo knows what he’s doing, doesn’t he?”

“Hmm-“ she would have stood on his foot if Zahra weren’t touching up the perfect curve of her lips- “could you make sure my fastening is holding? I feel like I’m about to fall out.”

“Well, we can’t have _that_.”

“I dunno- we might win an award.”

Lips finished, Vex jabbed Scanlan hard in the side just as Kima shouted for the set to clear.

“Sound!”

A few seconds pause.

“Speed!”

“Camera!”

“Rolling!”

“Slate!”

“The Great Voice Machine, Act three, Scene eight. Take three.”

Snap.

“Hold… and… Action!”

Vex let a slow smile creep over her face as she looked up into Scanlan’s eyes.

“So it seems I succeeded, Mr. Harding. And won twice over at that.”

“Well, I don’t know about that, Ingrid.”

“No?”

“Well you’re hurt my feelings terribly. Cut me deeply. I don’t know if I’ll ever recover.”

“Well don’t worry.” She let her smirk drop to a warmer expression and put a hand to his chest. “I’ll kiss your bruises.”

“I suppose that’s a start.”

He lifted her chin and they held the kiss until Kima shouted “Cut!” They dropped and turned to the director expectantly, waiting for their notes.

“Perfect. Better than perfect. You two can head out for the day, I think.”

“Really?” Vex shaded her eyes, frowning at Kima. “We got it?”

“I’m happy if Percy is.”

“More than. Thank you for indulging me.”

“It made the shot.” Kima shrugged, arms slung in a loose cross over her starched shirt and bracers. “Thank you.”

Relieved and satisfied with her day’s work, Vex tapped Scanlan’s cheek again before following Gilmore to her dressing room. The costumer passed her off to his assistant before fetching Pike for the dress rehearsal for her final song and dance recording. Thankfully, she and Scanlan had taken the brunt of the musical numbers so Vex’s first musical comedy was only a fraction as anxiety inducing as it might have been. Vex had only had to rasp her way through a brief lover’s croon and danced along with Scanlan for a sweeping orchestra accompaniment one week of shooting. She didn’t know what she’d have done if Pike hadn’t been cast to take most of the written duets and tap routines. It had taken some rewrites to explain why the younger sister character spent so much time with the leading man, but in the end, Kima begrudgingly admit that the story actually made more sense this way, and gave all three of them more balanced roles.

Some twenty minutes later, Vex was free from her gown and the heavy screen makeup. She donned a looser day dress, heels and hat before setting out on her search for her brother. As she neared her destination, her suspicions were confirmed when, on being asked, Lilith raised her brows and jerked a thumb at the cutting room door.

“One guess.”

Vex opened the door as quietly as she could and was rewarded when she did not interrupt the discussion inside.

“So how do you decide how many frames you use for just a reaction like this one?”

Vex’s twin was standing behind the only cutter in the room as the young woman sat at her work bench. He was standing a hair too close for propriety but judging by the light flush on the girl’s face, and the way she was biting back a smile, she didn’t much mind.

“Well, there’s a lot that goes into it. The performance for one, the timing of the sound that’s going on- you know- if he’s speaking when we cut to her and how much of his performance is better or more important than what she’s doing. Then it depends on the mood of the scene. You wouldn’t want to whip back and forth too much in a love confession, but that might be nice if she’s hiding and scared a murderer will find her.”

“You’re an _artist_ , Keyleth.”

A high, slightly nervous laugh. “Well I don’t know about that. I’m just cutting and pasting, really. Like making Christmas cards.”

“I’ll bet your Christmas cards are beautiful.”

Vex tried not to roll her eyes in annoyance. He sure knew how to lay it on thick. She wished Vax get over this latest infatuation already, it was getting beyond tedious.

“What scene are we working on today, darlings?”

Keyleth jumped to her feet so abruptly, she almost knocked Vax off of his crutches.

“Miss Vessar! Oh- Jiminy Christmas- I’m so sorry Vax- here- are you alright?”

Vex watched in amusement as the flustered cutter helped Vax into the nearest chair, hands fluttering and face red as she grabbed his bicep and shoulder, then let go just as fast.

“I’m fine-“ Vax grinned at Keyleth, then glanced, only a little sheepishly, at Vex as he cleared his throat. “Done already?”

“Thankfully, yes. I’m _exhausted_ from the dance scene yesterday. Kima is absolutely ruthless. I’ll have to rely on Miss Ashari here to make me look good.”

Keyleth flushed darker. “Hard to make you look _bad_.”

“Thank you, dear.” Vex yawned and made a great show of stretching as she leaned on the doorframe. “Unfortunately, I can’t go home and rest just yet. I just came by to tell you I need to run some errands before dinner with friends. Do you need help getting home?”

Vax waved a hand. “I’m fine- don’t fuss.” He narrowed his eyes. “Dinner with who?”

“Oh- just Pike and a few of the promoters.” She tried to keep her voice light, but there was little point in trying to lie to her twin. It wasn’t even a complete lie, really. “Just some friends from the production.”

“Hmm- De Rolo?”

There was no point at all in trying to hide things from him. She didn’t know why she even tried. Vex narrowed her eyes at him. “You know, I don’t think he was invited.”

“Ah, well-“ Vax gave a hefty sigh and turned to Keyleth, who was shuffling lengths of film taped to the wall- “Miss Ashari? Since my sister is so cruelly abandoning her crippled twin, could I trouble you to help me hail a cab? I’ll take you to dinner for your trouble?”

Keyleth’s face reached what must be a historically notable shade of red. Vex cocked a hip and raised her brow at her twin, who at least had the decency to look a bit embarrassed that she was still watching.

“Oh- I- ah- Just let me put- put away a few things. Is that alright?”

“Of course- take your time.”

Vex rolled her eyes at the two’s awkward flirtation. “Alright, well be gentle with him, darling. He’s still healing.”

The stricken, humiliated look on Keyleth’s face was almost enough to make her feel sorry. But where the red-headed woman failed, her twin’s look of reproach succeeded. Despite the quick, hot shame rising up in her stomach, Vex batted her lashes and twiddled her fingers at the pair of them before sauntering off.

She didn’t know why she did that- tried her best to chase off the redhead and goad a fight out of her twin. But it had been happening more and more lately.

Luckily for her sour mood, she caught a tall, lanky figure just as he entered the dark room. Vex knew she’d catch hell for it in the moment, but she slipped in after him anyway.

“What the flying hell do you think-“

“Oh hush.” She smiled at the door, back to the room under the pretense of making sure it latched. “As if you’re unloaded already.”

She didn’t get much further, as there was a hard, warm presence at her back and a strong arm around her waist. Vex leaned into him as his free hand swept her hair aside to make way for his lips and teeth. Even though it was what she was there for, she felt her knees buckle as Percy’s tongue traced her pulse point.

“You’ll be done soon?”

“Don’t rush me. You’ll have to do it over again.”

His teeth grazed her jaw and Vex twisted in his arms so she could meet his mouth with her own. His hands roamed over her and she bit his lip hard enough to bruise. The red glow of the darkroom only added to the thrill of sneaking the moment in the studio offices.

She used to be more careful. Used to keep her trysts brief and far away from studio lots and high-class neighborhoods. But once things started with Percy, she couldn’t bring herself to end them. Even though she knew a risky and poorly chosen affair was part of the reason she’d been so high strung lately. So insistent that her every moment outside her own home was perfect in the eyes of anyone who might be watching.

She tightened her grip on his hair and pulled it back, kissing the space just under his ear.

“ _Two_ _hours_ , Percival. Don’t keep me waiting.”

He muffled a groan in the side of her neck. Vex wished she could stay. It wouldn’t be the first time they stole more than a kiss on the studio lot. She would even love to stay just to watch him work in the red light of the darkroom. His prematurely white hair almost glowed pink and his glasses didn’t seem to block his eyes the way they normally did in here. She wanted to muss his hair and rumple his shirt. She wanted to slide her foot down his leg as he worked until he pretended to be annoyed with her. She didn’t want to leave the warm glow and close air- the quiet slosh of the development solution and clink of his camera as he carefully unloaded the day’s film.

But it wasn’t a good idea. The longer she stayed, the more chance she’d be caught. So, she pushed his glasses up into his hair and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. He deepened it, holding her jaw more tenderly than before.

“Two hours,” he agreed, voice soft. “I’ll be waiting for you.”

~

It wasn’t a complete lie- saying she had errands to run and dinner with friends. There was a dress to pick up from the cleaners, produce from the outdoor markets, and more flowers for the foyer. All with a bare face, scarf over her hair, and a thick Romanian accent she’d been working on. Vex’ahlia Vessar could not run errands around the city without being mobbed, but a scowling immigrant woman with a thick braid who signed her checks V. Starr wasn’t worth a second glance. She had wanted to use her mother’s name in the pictures, but the agent wouldn’t have it.

“A woman named ‘Starr’ is cheap.” He’d said it flatly, like he’d already forgotten it was her mother’s name. “At least in this town. You said your father comes from society- you’ll be a Vessar.”

And just like that, she was someone else. Vex almost was disgusted with herself for how much of a thrill it gave her. The ease with which she could fool audiences and Hollywood executives in a way she could never fool those of her father’s echelon back in England. Stuck at some gala where no one knew a thing about her other than her status as evidence of a good man’s past mistakes, she was a cheap trick in an expensive dress. But here, now, she was a lady and an icon. An untouchable idol. And just as easily, she could be Miss Starr, invisible and in that, equally untouchable. It was the choice, more than the personas themselves, that thrilled her.

But even so, there was still regret. And jealousy that Vax was still allowed to keep their mother’s name professionally. Evidently it didn’t matter that a stuntman sound cheap. No one cared much about what he did or how he looked, even though he’d been in twice as many pictures as Vex.

Because that was the other edge of the sword. As long as she wanted to be Vex’ahlia Vessar of Taldorei Pictures, she had to make sure no one saw her do anything that the studio’s favorite femme fatale wouldn’t or shouldn’t do. Fan magazines speculated all they liked, but a true, public affair was something else entirely. As was having a hysterical meltdown on receiving the call that her brother was in the hospital after a stunt gone wrong. As was being disowned by a respectable father who had never deigned to marry their mother. Vex was messy, and a studio star who was messy soon fell back down to earth.

~

At the agreed upon time, she was arching her back into the open air as the sunset cast an orange glow across the sparsely decorated apartment. Just as she was thinking her aching thighs were about to give out, the hands on her hips tightened, the body under her shifted, and in a moment, she was on her back, Percy’s hand braced on the headboard over them and the other supporting her lower back to keep the best angle. He was at her throat, teeth closing just a hair too tightly in a way that made her whimper and pull on the back of his neck, desperate for more. She was almost anxious- so needy for his every touch and every stroke.

“Percy…” her voice was tight- strained- like her every nerve and muscle as he kept a pace that might have been uncomfortable, if she weren’t feeling so desperate. “Love… please-“

The hand on her back skimmed up her body to still at her throat. Not squeezing, not pressing- just touching, its natural weight just enough to have her wishing for more.

“Dear… God damn it all, Vex!”

She dug her heels hard into the small of his back to keep him close as he came, following just moments after, her teeth sinking into the muscle between his neck and shoulder. They held like that for a dozen breaths. Even after Percy turned to kiss her hair, her cheek, her mouth, Vex kept her legs around him, his hand trapped between them.

“Alright, love?” He pulled away, just enough to move his hand from her neck to her jaw, thumb stroking across her cheek. 

“Of course.” She nipped at his thumb as she finally let her legs fall from around him. “Marvelous as always, darling.” 

There was a bit of skepticism lingering in his eye and she couldn’t imagine why until he moved his hand to brush her other cheek. Oh. That had been happening more often lately. Vex let her eyes fall from his probing expression and forced a dismissive smile. 

“Oh- silly. You know us actresses- can’t tell one emotion from another. Live and die by extremes, you know.” 

He was getting even harder to fool than Vax. “I didn’t- you’re not hurt-“ 

“You worry _far_ too much. You’ll put wrinkles in your lovely face.” She pressed a teasing kiss to the space between his brows. “As always, you’ve been perfectly lovely to me. And believe you me, I _would_ let you know if I had _any_ complaints.” 

This, at least, he seemed ready to believe. Percy kissed her, smiling into it. 

“Do you want to ta-“ 

“Kin-Chu? Absolutely. I’m famished.” 

He allowed the deflection and called the Chinese restaurant to deliver to the apartment. Vex was perfectly content to stay in his bed, enjoying him, watching him enjoy her. She let him answer the door, loving the way he walked when he was barefoot. Loving how thoroughly debauched he looked and how he normally wouldn’t allow a soul to see him in such a state. Loving imagining the delivery boy’s flush as he took in Percy’s rumpled shirt and trousers, his mussed hair, and her day dress crumpled on the carpet of the foyer. And when she didn’t get out of bed, she especially loved how Percy did not hesitate to bring their food to her, despite the fact that she was certain he had never eaten so much as a peppermint in bed before. 

They broke apart their chopsticks and by the time they had finished the pot stickers, Vex was sure she’d evaded further scrutiny. But halfway through her lo mein, she caught Percy staring at her again. 

“What? Am I getting soy sauce on your sheets?” 

A smile, but dry enough to say he wouldn’t be distracted this time. “Do you want to talk about it?” 

“About what?” 

“About how you’ve cried while making love twice in the past week?” 

“I told you, darling-“ she took an overly large bite of noodles and waved her chopsticks at him, hoping to make him laugh- “I’m a true actress, through and through. I can’t be bothered to separate out all my feelings, so sometimes I adore you so much I can’t tell the difference between that and every sorrow I’ve ever known. Must have been thinking about that old dog we had as children being run over.” 

He didn’t respond, only kept looking at her. Vex all but threw down her chopsticks as she finished chewing. 

“Fine.” She sat back against the headboard with only a small huff, deciding on one part of everything that had her on edge. He couldn’t really expect her to air too many truths at once. “Vax and I have been at each other’s throats and I like you, darling, I really do, but for my whole life, he’s all I’ve had in the world. So I suppose it frightens me that- well- the idea of us having things other than one another means…” she picked at the cuff of his spare shirt she had thrown on once her heart rate had slowed and her blood cooled, “I don’t know. That we’ll- that we’re realizing we were only close for so long out of necessity. And-“ this was where her throat grew tight again- “and… maybe, once we’re given the choice, we’ll drift apart.” 

“I don’t think you two could ever go far from one another.” Percy hesitated, setting the rest of his food aside. “You- do you feel like I keep you from your twin?” 

“You? Darling- of _course_ not.” She laughed at this, and it wasn’t at all forced. “Not in the least. He’s just been…” Vex trailed off. She didn’t know what Vax had been. Edgy, moody, yes. But then he was with Keyleth—or at least, would be soon—and around her he was a whole different way that she didn’t understand. A way that _should_ have been better, but left Vex feeling just as confused and upset. _“Childish._ I don’t know what is _wrong_ with him. He’s all drawn in on himself one second, then the next he’s chasing after that cutter—your little ginger friend with the big eyes—like- like he’s never even _talked_ to a girl before. He’s just- he’s acting like a _child_ and I wish he’d just…” all she could do was make a noise of frustration and shake her head. 

“Talk to you?” 

She recognized the twist in her stomach right as he said it in his calm voice. It was guilt, shame, loathing of the harshness that crept its way into her personality every time she turned her back. It was hard to just swap out one personality for another when it came to Vax. He knew most of her tricks and resented the ones he didn’t.

“I don’t…” she swallowed. “How can I begrudge him that? So what if he’s getting a chance to be stupid and silly and childish? We- we didn’t have that growing up.” 

She didn’t need to say it. Not when Percy was a child in the same time and place. The difference was children in the De Rolo family were sent off to the country to live with kindly if rustic aunts and uncles with sprawling estates. Children of a different order huddled under their mother’s arms in boarding houses in the dark, too scared to breath, as though the planes flying over may target a cry or a whimper. 

“Talk to Vax.” He’d paused his eating to listen. “Hell- talk to Keyleth. She’s more fun than you realize.” Percy took a breath and offered a dry smile. “I know I’m not the best example of being open with one’s feelings, but I mean it. Talk to that reckless brother of yours. About Keyleth, certainly- let him tell you all about how he adores her. But also talk to him about the accident and his leg.” 

Vex sighed and pulled the paper plate with the last two eggrolls on it back into her lap. Having so many feelings was exhausting. This is why she usually broke things off with a lover after a few weeks. This whole failure to be cold and aloof with Percy was going to be the death of her.

“You think he’s been acting like a moody little prick because he nearly died on the job and now he’s scared?” 

“Oh I think he just _is_ a moody little prick, but you should talk to him anyway.”

She let out a highly embarrassing giggle at this and let him steal the last eggroll from her. Despite the fact that he’d turned a frightening shade of purple when she’d first offered to pay for his drink after a day’s shoot, he continued to be full of surprises. Vex tried to tell herself that was why she’d failed to brush him off, and nothing more.

“Will you go to the Falconer premier on Friday after next?”

Vex surprised even herself with asking. She hadn’t been planning on it. Hadn’t even been really thinking of it. It had crossed her mind, sure, but as a distant thought in a stream of thousands more.

“I didn’t shoot Falconer.” Percy blinked at her. “That was Kash, remember?”

“No-“ she brushed the flakey crumbs from her hands, rolling her eyes and wishing he weren’t so clueless about some things. This was so much worse- having to explain herself rather than him just declining outright. “ _With_ me. As my escort for the night. On my arm, or what have you.” She found herself explaining far more than she really needed to. “It’s only- Jarett was my costar for that one, but he’s off on his next project already. Then Scanlan’s the next obvious choice but Pike’s finally agreed to go with him. Gilmore’s my old standby for these situations but Wildemount pictures have poached him for a shoot out east so he’ll be on location. The absolute _last_ resort is to take my brother like a rejected prom date, but since Kima dropped a bronco on him for that stupid cowboy flick he’s of no real use. So I’m running out of options.”

It was a fairly insulting way to propose things, Vex fully realized. But when her mouth decided to ask him without consulting her brain first, there were unfortunate consequences entirely outside of her control. It was amazing how easy it was to answer questions from a barrage of reporters with smooth grace and eloquence but say one wrong thing to the handsome cinematographer and there was no telling what manner of nonsense she’d let out. A small voice in the back of her head piped up that if she wasn’t going to drop him, the next best option was an actual public courtship, but that was far too real to consider. Especially when she was sure he would refuse.

“I see…” He was frowning, but she was almost certain it was still one of confusion. “I only… we are very _careful_.”

It was how they put things in regards to her public image. It was also how they referred to her diaphragm, safely washed and returned to her purse at the moment, but that seemed less relevant.

“Well, yes.” It was true, and most of the reason it was such a stupid idea to ask him. But now, forced to think about the possibility for longer than a moment, Vex found herself rather committed. “But to be perfectly honest, darling, I’m feeling a hair rebellious. And maybe I’m curious as to what might happen.”

Percy hummed in amusement. “As good a reason as any, I suppose.”

~

He took the cab home with her and Vex didn’t even mind holding his hand in full view of their driver. After they had talked, she’d fallen asleep for an hour in his arms, waking to find her hair matted on one side and a massive drool stain on Percy’s shirt. In spite of everything, she still squawked when he teased her for it before kissing him and burying her fingers in his hair. In the back of the cab, parked on her street, they could already see the lights in the dining and sitting rooms on. 

“Looks like he’s still up.” Percy squeezed the hand on her knee. 

“And looks like we have a guest as well.” 

There were definitely two figures moving in the light of the dining room. Vex spiraled close to annoyance for only a moment before forcing herself to shift her perspective. 

“Good.” She squeezed his hand. “Come in. There’s ice cream and vermouth.” 

He blinked once, then laughed into her palm as he kissed it before paying the driver and following her up the front walk. Vex only allowed herself to watch through the window for a moment before she pulled out her key. Out of the public eye, Keyleth had a broad smile and spoke with her hands. She flitted about like a bird, stacking up two sets of empty dishes before crossing to where Vax sat, grinning at her like the massive fool he was. As Vex watched, Keyleth helped him to his feet, careful not to jostle his cast as she fitted an arm around his waist. Vax said something that made her laugh and she buried her face in the side of his neck. 

“I suppose she _is_ cute, isn’t she?” Vex tried to insert some disgust into the phrase but couldn’t manage it. 

“Very.” Percy leaned in to kiss her hair. “And an utter lightweight, but worth carrying along on a night on the town.” 

Vex wanted to sneer and mutter something about believing it when she saw it but held back. Vax was grinning in a way that took years off his face. Keyleth was reaching for his crutches, but he seemed content to balance himself with an arm around her shoulders. 

On opening the door at last, Vex couldn’t suppress a small smile at the squeak of surprise from the dining room. 

“Darling, I’m home!” 

She squealed in delight at the Russian bear hound that barreled down the stairs to greet her, tail wagging. She dropped to the floor immediately to let him bound over to hop on her lap and nuzzle her face as he received the attention of her nails behind his ears and under his belly. 

“Who’s the smartest, most handsome boy in the world? Have you been protecting your uncle Vax from strangers while I was out?” 

“Well look who’s finally home.” 

Vex stopped herself from snapping something and grinned at the pair of them standing off the edge of the foyer. Vax looked like he was trying to act normal, but there was sulky reproach under his smirk. Keyleth looked far too nervous for the situation- her clasped hands white knuckled against the green chiffon of her skirt. But, based on previous encounters between the two of them, Vex really couldn’t blame her. 

“It’s fine you didn’t wait up for us,” she gave a theatrical sigh so they couldn’t misinterpret the ribbing. “We’re only starving is all.” 

Vax snorted while Keyleth gave a tentative smile before turning to him once more. 

“Um- I should be going. Thank you, for dinner, Vax.” 

Vax’s face fell slightly, even as she leaned in to peck his cheek.

“What? Don’t be ridiculous.” Vex took Percy’s offered hand to pull herself up and brushed down her dress. “You have to stay for dessert and drinks.”

Keyleth looked hesitant but glanced to Vex and Percy. Whatever she saw there must have been heartening, as she offered Vex a hesitant smile.

“Well, if you really don’t mind.”

~

At the end of it, Vex had to admit it was fun to see the stunned, uncomfortable look on Percy’s face as the flash of the cameras blinded him. She shook out the lay of her skirt as he held her other gloved hand to steady her.

“Good lord.” He muttered. “Is it always like this?”

Vex laughed, playing it up for the photos. Percy came from money. He was accustomed to opulence and attention. But she supposed his version was all crisp pressed wool and standing like an iron rod, mouth in a thin, straight line. There were no flashing walls of cameras and shouts calling out questions of a personal nature on the estates of one of the oldest monied families in the nation. She grabbed his hand to pull him up straight.

“It’s not so bad, Darling.” Vex murmured in his ear before turning toward the expanse of red carpet stretched out from the curb to the theater doors. “Just close your eyes and think of England.”

This startled a laugh out of him, and he followed her onto the runway, holding out his arm as she paused to pose. Vex took it and grinned up at him. Past his initial shock, he composed himself perfectly. He held a pleasant smile, not too forced but not too blank, allowing her to set the pace for how they proceeded through the mess of photographers and reporters and inside the theater doors.

“There- that wasn’t so bad, now was it?”

“I can’t imagine doing that on a regular basis.” He shook his head and straightened his tie. “You do this near every weekend. How do you manage?”

“Oh I think it’s marvelous.” She grinned up at him, brushing down his shoulders more to sooth him than straighten the fabric. “Alright, Darling?”

“More than.”

“Vex! Percy!”

Vex turned and laughed on finding Pike bounding towards them, miles of tulle in her fists. Scanlan tailed behind, giving the pair of them an exaggerated waggle of his brows. Vex dipped in to kiss both Pike’s cheeks as she reached them.

“Darling! You look incredible! Is this the dress from Autumn Serenade?”

“With the weights taken out,” Pike confirmed, swishing her butter yellow skirt around. “Christ you should have seen my legs after that shoot. Looked like I had a messy roll in the hay- or maybe a junkyard.”

“Poor thing. Good evening, Scanlan, dear.” She traded kisses with her current costar as well. “Charming as always.”

“Radiant as the dawn, Vex. And Percy!” He clapped the taller man on the shoulder. “Didn’t know you’d be joining us tonight.”

Vex narrowed her eyes at him in suspicion. She doubted he would pass up such a prime opportunity to tease her.

“Yes, Percy!” Pike cut off any response deliberately, a fierce, cheery note in her voice. “Could you grab us some drinks?”

Vex opened her mouth to protest, but Scanlan was quick to back up his date.

“Yes! You’re _easily_ the most dexterous! I’m certain you could carry four glasses on your own.”

Clearly not fooled, but only looking bemused with them, Percy gave Vex a wry smile before wading through the crowd toward the bar.

“Tell me everything-“ Pike gripped Vex’s arm to hiss excitedly in her ear. “You _never_ take anyone out that you actually… you know.”

“Oh well, I suppose there’s a first time for everything.” She sniffed and gave a finger of her dark blue satin glove a delicate tug. “My usuals were otherwise occupied and he cuts a rather dashing figure, so I thought, why not?”

“Why not indeed.”

“Scanlan, if you don’t learn to control your face, I’ll staple those eyebrows in a more reasonable place.”

When Percy returned, they continued to chatter away about the final shoots on Voice Machine. To her surprise, neither Pike nor Scanlan ribbed them too badly for publicly stepping out together. Though she didn’t miss that their companions seemed to be watching them very closely. But that, she could ignore.

Before long, they were ushered into the auditorium and seated up close to the screen. As the lights dimmed, Vex yawned, reaching for Percy’s and hand leaning her head onto his shoulder.

“Your hair will go flat.”

She jabbed him in the side for teasing but settled into the excruciating experience of watching one of her own films. This… wasn’t so bad. This, she could get used to. For just a moment, she entertained the thought of this becoming a regular occurrence.

~

“At least they got _something_ right for once.”

Vex groaned as the magazine flopped onto her face. She’d been sprawled out on the lounge in the sunroom, trying to catch a breeze in the June heat. She lifted the thin, stapled pamphlet from her face. The fan magazine was plastered with the image of her leaning in to murmur into Percy’s ear. The photographer had caught the exact moment that he’d glanced down at her. His expression was fond, but even in black and white, printed on cheap paper, there was an unmistakable hint of heat behind the expression. But maybe she was biased.

“New Beau for Taldorei’s Top Star!” She read the headline in a flat, bored voice. “Read all about the surprising romance blooming on the set of the studio’s latest musical romance between everyone’s favorite femme fatale and director Kima Vord’s cinematographer.”

“It’s a good photo at least.” Vax patted the space on the sofa he sat on, inviting Trinket up next to him. “Remember that one with Scanlan where you looked like you had no neck? You looked terrible.”

Vex made a face at him and flipped idly through the rest. Despite his teasing, she could feel Vax watching her carefully, waiting for her reaction. She didn’t blame him, really, but the sinking feeling of being at least partially found out never came. She’d fought it a long while because it felt invasive to have the truth plastered around town in a way it didn’t to see a fantasy distributed. But it didn’t really feel that way at all. Vex found she didn’t much care that the public knew how Percy looked at her when she teased him with a wicked grin.

“I suppose they’re bound to hit the truth with their scatter-shot approach every now and then.” She closed the fan magazine and tossed it onto the floor. “I’m not worried unless they start following the two of us into the darkroom.”

Vax made an ugly face, but tapped a hand on his leg a few times, as if thinking his words over carefully. “You really like him, don’t you?”

Vex didn’t know how to respond to this. On the one hand, the answer was obvious. She wouldn’t spend so much time with Percy if she wasn’t enjoying herself. Wouldn’t be so excited to get back to him every time they were apart. But her kneejerk reaction to any indication of attachment was denial. She didn’t _need_ a lover in her life. Even if she did, they were more or less interchangeable. She didn’t much like the idea of showing a particular soft spot, or worse, _need_ for anyone but Vax. And Trinket, of course.

“Yes.” She said it firmly to make up for the voice in her head screaming to shut up. “He’s quite… I think I love him.”

To her utter surprise, Vax didn’t seem to be. He laughed into his cup of coffee.

“Good. Though-” He let out a beleaguered sigh. “I suppose that means I’ll have to suffer more uncomfortable incidents running into him on my way down to breakfast in the future.”

“As if you’re one to talk.” She sniffed, shoving aside her indignation at his non-response to her most terrible revelation. “I’m guessing I’ll be suffering the same fate with your little ingenue soon enough.”

“How dare you, I’m a perfect gentleman.” He sniffed and got only a little unsteadily to his feet, still getting used to walking on his weak leg without the cast or crutches and refusing to use the cane she’d bought him. “A gentleman who only just got in from sneaking out of hers this morning and is going back to bed. Goodnight and good morning, Stubby.”

She tried to scowl at him as he kissed her on the head and limped his way up the stairs. Vex waited a few moments, sweating in the heat, before she reached behind her for the telephone receiver to give Percy a call.

**Author's Note:**

> "Starr" was a surname I was playing with for the twins for ANOTHER au and ended up using for this because I couldn't think of anything better and I don't think they've ever mentioned their mother's family name in the stream.  
> The title was supposed to be a Breakfast at Tiffany's reference because titles also make me panic. I don't actually know if SIlver Lake was such a popular residential area for people in the 40s as it is now, I just know it's the pricey hipster spot all my friends working in the industry live today.  
> ALSO, shift Percy and the twin's ages up a few hairs for maximum WWI childhood angst for a story that takes place somewhere in the mid 40s.  
> And yes I DID google how early you could have eggrolls delivered to your address in LA.


End file.
